Switching from breast to formula at 3 months.. how?

[Bunnikins]

Hi, apologies if there have been threads on this topic before.

Has anyone here managed to switch from exclusive BF to formula feeding?

I was just wanting some tips on how to do it. Unfortunately Im returning to work and will be working long hours, so BF or expressing is simply not an option.

Ive enjoyed BF, and am upset that i have to give it up but i have no choice and i know formula will be fine for my baby and hopefully will mean her little tummy is satisfied for a bit longer.. she feeds VERY frequently at the moment and is so unpredictable. Im lucky if she goes an hour between feeds sometimes. Also ive noticed her weight gain isnt great and she has dropped from the 91st centile to the 75th

I have started giving 1 bottle of formula per day, and she doesnt like it much but if shes sleepy she manages to drink it.

Now it seems like im in a bit of a limbo between BF and FF and i dunno whether i should just go cold turkey and give up BF.. or should i carry on doing it gradually. The only trouble with gradual is she will occasionally start screaming and fussing when i give her a bottle, knowing that she can still have the breast which she prefers.

I dont even know how many bottles and how much a 3 month old should be having... she can drain 6oz in her 1 bottle per day but i dunno if this is enough... she seems satisfied after so i presume its ok??

Has anyone made the transition? How did it go? Can it be done smoothly? And how did you deal with the guilt?

Thanks ladies

 

[socitycourty]

I did it after 8 weeks of EBF on my pediatricians advice for severe allergy/reflux.

i just basically replaced a couple feeds a day with a bottle and cut back the BF, we did this over about a weeklong period.

as for the guilt, it is very personal but I found I needed to stay off the internet and even BnB for a while. your LO will be fine regardless

 

[loves_cookies]

Different circumstances to you but I transitioned last week, again with pediatricians input. It was supposed to be a trial whilst I continued to express to test for suspected cows milk protein and soya intolerance. After 48 hours on the nutramigen formula she was 100% better so I quit expressing cold turkey. My breasts were really sore for 24 hours or so but I wanted to get rid of my milk as quick as possible so I'd stop confusing the baby with my milk smell.

Dealing with the guilt is very personal and everyone is different. For the full week before the trial I felt incredibly guilty for contemplating giving the formula instead of giving up soya in my diet (I was already dairy free by this stage). But in the end I needed to do what was best for my circumstances and my baby which was to give the formula. Now I'm just grateful to have a contented baby for the first time.

 

[CarliCareBear]

i have recently mainly switched my baby to formula after having to het surgery and being hospitalized. i am actually trying to relactate but my LO is not interested so i may have to stick with formula.

i think it is definitely important that you don't suddenly wean her- i think gradually is a much better as her stomach needs time to transition- otherwise it could be a shock to her system. what did was expressed and would mix breastmilk in with all of her bottles and then slowly reduced it till she was adjusted to formula. she should be fine to take a bottle from now on but if you want you could just start slowly cutting back nursing to a few times a day, like at night for the comfort.

lastly, make sure you wind her really well after every feed and keep her upright- even if she doesn't have reflux issues the formula is usually harder to digest at first. You may have to try out a few different kinds before you find what works for you. Watch for puking more often, being extremely fussy, rashes, diarrhea nappies and diaper rash as this probably means she's not handling the formula well.

Good luck! you did a great job nursing her till now and she has already gotten a great start. I hope the transition is easy for you.

 

[lilbump]

Hi,

I was in exactly the same position as you- BF my lo but trying to offer a bottle of formula each night so when I returned to work (4 weeks time) then it wouldn't be a shock. My lo started taking the bottle in her first few weeks but then refused completely so I went cold turkey last week I expressed the first few days and offered 100% breast milk, then mixed with formula and now it's just formula. My lo has NUK dummies so i bought the NUK bottles. It was really hard, I still feel guilty but it was something I had to do and I feel like we're getting in a routine now and I also don't feel like I have to rush home to feed if I leave her with family.

I would have loved to carry on breastfeeding but I'm returning to work so formula is the next best thing, good luck, hope it go's ok

 

[Bunnikins]

thanks lilbump, it is hard isnt it.. but i either work or the mortgage doesnt get paid! Ive still got a bit longer before the big day of my return to work. So far she is accepting 2 bottles per day with little fuss, i just cant bring myself to go cold turkey yet! Too scary, so for now im combi-feeding i guess. Thanks for all your help